Compiled by Peter Coulman
Map and additional information by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos
Additional information by Mike Vainchtein

See Also

• 21 DANFORTH (1963-1968)
• 113 DANFORTH Time Lapse, by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos

History of Danforth Avenue and Danforth Road

Danforth Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is named after Asa Danforth Jr., an American contractor who was tasked in 1799 to construct the road but ultimately did not build it. The avenue was developed in 1851 by the Don and Danforth Plank Road Company, linking it to Broadview Avenue and providing access to nearby communities around Queen Street East and Kingston Road. Initially, the Danforth area was remote, described as a dusty rural road with open fields, brickyards, and occasional buildings. Industries emerged in the 1790s north of the Danforth along the Don Valley, utilizing the river’s power and clay deposits for brick-making. Before becoming Danforth Avenue, it was called Concession Line Road.

Toronto’s expansion in the late 19th century resulted in the 1884 annexation of lands south of Danforth Avenue and later areas to its north and east in 1909. Transportation improvements spurred growth, including a streetcar line on Broadview Avenue in 1888 and the Danforth line by Toronto Civic Railways in 1913. The pivotal moment came in 1919 with the completion of the Bloor Viaduct, which connected Danforth Avenue to Bloor Street. Renamed the Prince Edward Viaduct in honour of Edward, Prince of Wales, the bridge enhanced access to Toronto’s urban core. The area became a lower-middle-class suburb, drawing immigrants primarily from England, Ireland, and Scotland. Later waves included Italians in the 1950s and Greeks in the 1960s. By the mid-1970s, second-generation immigrants moved to outer suburbs, while younger professionals revitalized the neighborhood, drawn by affordable housing and proximity to downtown following the 1966 launch of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY line.

In Scarborough, Danforth Road, built by Danforth in 1801, connects with McCowan Road. This allows for an intersection of “Danforth and Danforth,” where Danforth Avenue meets Danforth Road. Locally, “the Danforth” exclusively refers to Danforth Avenue. Other intersections clarify this distinction—for instance, “Victoria Park and Danforth” indicates the Avenue, while “Kennedy and Danforth” refers to the Road. Today, remnants of Danforth Road include Clonmore Drive, Painted Post Drive, Military Trail and Highland Creek Overpass. East of the Rouge River, what remains has been integrated into Highway 2 or bypassed by newer sections of Kingston Road near Cobourg.

Bus Service Enters the Danforth

The first bus service was inaugurated on July 22, 1937 when the Danforth Bus Lines created the SCARBORO JUNCTION route the operated from Luttrell via Danforth Avenue, Danforth Road and Midland to Lorraine with service extended north on Midland to Eglinton during peak periods; morning buses loop via north on Kennedy and south on Midland, while afternoon buses reverse this. Evening and weekend service was then extended to Eglinton on August 25, 1938. During World War II, the SCARBORO JUNCTION was extended west from Kennedy and Eglinton to Warden Avenue to serve the General Engineering Company of Ontario (GECO)’s munition’s plant after Danforth and Hollinger partnered with GECO. This service was then replaced by the new EGLINTON & MIDLAND service on September 5, 1950 operating ovee the same routing as SCARBORO JUNCTION. From July 1, 1954, the Toronto Transit Commission took over all private bus services and this route was renamed to PINE HILLS extending it east on Midland via east on Danforth, north on Brimley, west on Eglinton and south on Kennedy.

PINE HILLS was then split into the 15 BRIMLEY and 43 KENNEDY routes on April 15, 1956. Then on September 1, 1963, a bus route name bearing the DANFORTH name was inaugurated in form of the 21 DANFORTH running from Lutrell Loop to Lawrence via Brimley and McCowan/Danforth Roads as part of the TTC’s expansion of its suburban services. After the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY extension to Warden Station opened on May 11, 1968, the 21 DANFORTH was replaced on Danforth Road north of St. Clair Avenue East by the new 16 McCOWAN and 21 BRIMLEY routes. South of St. Clair, the portions of the route was then incorporated by the extended 9 BELLAMY operating from Victoria Park Station. As service remains unchanged for years, parts of the 9 BELLAMY and 43 KENNEDY would then be incorporated into its own bus route upon the opening of Kennedy Station on November 22, 1980: the 113 DANFORTH.

A Chronological History of 113 Danforth

November 22, 1980

Coincident with the extension of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY from Warden to Kennedy station, service begins on a new route 113 DANFORTH replacing parts of 9 BELLAMY and 43 KENNEDY. Buses run from Victoria Park station via east on Denton, south on Pharmacy, east on Danforth Avenue, northeast on Danforth Road, north on Kennedy and east on Eglinton into Kennedy station. Buses return via the reverse route. Service operates from Birchmount Garage.

July 26, 1981

Service transferred from Birchmount Garage to Danforth Garage

January 5, 1986

Route extended west on Danforth to Main Street Station restoring the length of the Danforth Bus Lines SCARBORO JCT service where it operated from the nearby Lutrell Loop. Service into Victoria Park station via Pharmacy and Denton discontinued. This service replaces part the 20A (Main Street station to Warden station) branch of the 20 CLIFFSIDE bus, along with the new 135 GERRARD service.

October 16, 1988

Service transferred from Danforth Garage to Birchmount Garage.

February 18, 1996

Despite a system-wide cut of service resulting from the elimination of provincial transit subsidies, the 113 DANFORTH continues to operate 7 days a week, 18 hours a day. However, Saturday late evening and Sunday evening service is reduced to every 30 minutes.

August 31, 1997

By that date, runs interned with 87 COSBURN in the evenings were operated out of Danforth Garage. Birchmount Garage operates the remainder of the route.

February 18, 2001

A walking transfer is instituted between the 113 DANFORTH, 20 CLIFFSIDE and 67 PHARMACY buses. Passengers have to walk from Pharmacy and Danforth and Pharmacy and Denton in order to switch between the two routes.

March 31, 2002

Danforth Garage closes and buses interlined with 87 COSBURN moved to the new Eglinton Garage on Comstock Road. Most runs continue to operate out of Birchmount Garage.

September 4, 2005

Route made accessible using Low Floor Orion VII buses. No changes to service levels.

September 3, 2006

Service adjusted on this route and 20 CLIFFSIDE to provide evenly-spaced service on Danforth Avenue between Main Street station and Danforth Road. During the daytime on Saturdays, buses will operate at 18 minute intervals on both routes, providing a combined frequency of 9 minutes over their common route. During the daytime on Sundays, buses operate at 20 minute intervals, providing a combined frequency of 10 minutes over their common route.

April 1, 2007

The above arrangement is abandoned on Sundays when service on 113 DANFORTH is reduced to every 24 minutes.

February 17, 2008

Sunday service increased to every 20 minutes to reduce crowding.

November 23, 2008

All runs are now consolidated out of Birchmount Garage in conjunction with the opening of the new Mount Dennis Garage.

September 6, 2015

Interlining with 87 COSBURN discontinued.

May 13, 2018

Due to construction closing the Main Street station bus/streetcar loop, service on this route is temporarily shortened to operate out of Victoria Park station. Unlike the original routing which used Pharmacy and Denton, service follows the normal routing southbound and turn north on Victoria Park and east of Denton to enter the station. Buses exiting the station follow south on Victoria Park to its normal routing.

September 2, 2018

With the completion of construction at Main Street station, service on 113 DANFORTH is returned to normal.

113 Danforth Image Archive

	TTC Nova LFS 8952 is seen heading north on Main Street, after departing Main Street Station in 113 DANFORTH service along a detour that follows the 87 COSBURN routing until it reaches Eastdale Avenue where it continued to Dawes Road and headed south to Danforth back to the regular routing. Photo taken on April 27th, 2021, by Marcus Danchuk
	TTC Nova LFS 8952 is seen heading north on Main Street, after departing Main Street Station in 113 DANFORTH service along a detour that follows the 87 COSBURN routing until it reaches Eastdale Avenue where it continued to Dawes Road and headed south to Danforth back to the regular routing. Photo taken on April 27th, 2021, by Marcus Danchuk
	A Danforth Division side rollsign, circa 1986, showing the 113 DANFORTH exposures. This photograph was taken by James Bow and the rollsign is courtesy the Rob Lubinski collection.
	The TTC advertisement on the Toronto Star shown on the Thursday, November 20, 1980 edition shows major changes related to the Kennedy station opening affecting the routes 9 BELLAMY, 20 CLIFFSIDE, 21 BRIMLEY, 34 EGLINTON EAST, 43 KENNEDY, 57 MIDLAND, 69 WARDEN SOUTH, 86 SCARBORO, 102 MARKHAM ROAD, 113 DANFORTH, and 114 KINGSTON ROAD EAST.
	An official TTC map of 113 DANFORTH operations, effective January 3, 2011
	TTC Orion V 6720 runs eastbound on Danforth at Dawes on a 113 DANFORTH run to Kennedy Station. Photo by David Cavlovic.
	Lift-equipped TTC Orion V bus 7019 seen here at the Arrow Road Garage. Photo by Brad O'Brien
	TTC Orion VII diesel bus 7864 drops off passengers at Main Street station during the afternoon of February 7, 2011, in service on the 113 DANFORTH route. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC GM New Look bus #8291 pauses at Kennedy station, in service on 113 DANFORTH, very near the opening day of the BLOOR-DANOFORTH extension to Kennedy, in this November 1980 shot. The photographer is unknown and the photo was donated by Pete Coulman.